Bodleian Library: Ada, Countess of Lovelace: computer pioneer

The Bodleian Library is hosting a special display to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the birth of Ada Lovelace, the Victorian mathematician who is often referred to as the first computer programmer

"Her article presented the first documented computer program"

Members of the public are invited to the Bodleian learn more about tech visionary Ada, Countess of Lovelace by visiting their free display, which runs until 23rd December in the Weston Library

Ada, Countess of Lovelace (1815–1852), was the daughter of the renowned poet Lord Byron and is best known for her remarkable article about Charles Babbage’s unbuilt computer, the Analytical Engine. Her article presented the first documented computer program, showing how the engine could calculate the Bernoulli numbers. It also explained the ideas underlying Babbage’s machine – and every one of the billions of computers and computer programs in use today. Her contribution was highlighted in one of Alan Turing’s most famous papers ‘Can a machine think?’ Lovelace had wide scientific and intellectual interests and studied with scientist Mary Somerville as well as with Augustus De Morgan, a leading mathematician and pioneer in logic and algebra.